Assessment of work-related stress and burnout among clinical research occupations

Abstract

Background: Burnout syndrome is included by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the International Classification of Diseases, and it has a direct impact on the health of workers and also on the performance of companies. In this work, we propose a comprehensive methodology for evaluating work stress and burnout in various occupations within a healthcare organization. Methods: The work stress questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory were administered to employees of 7 different occupations within a company. The effect of the stressors is established using Cohen's d test, as well as the relationship between the main stressors, burnout and occupation. Results: The results of the study indicated that medical service personnel had the highest levels of stress and burnout syndrome, but significant stress levels and burnout scores were also identified among finance, clinical operations, and marketing professionals. Conclusions: Stress and burnout can vary by department, team, or individual in a company. Based on the study, it was concluded that a single approach to assessing stress and burnout may not provide a complete understanding, in fact, a better alternative is to assess each occupation specifically.